Kálnoky Castle Concerts

The 29-year-old Szőcs Botond, a pianist, has earned his place at the forefront of the music world with his energetic and unique temperament, the emotional intensity of his performances, and the persuasive power of his artistic expression. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Music at the Transilvania University of Brașov, where he studied under the guidance of the renowned Professor Dr. Stela Drăgulin, a defining figure in the universal school of piano music. He completed his doctoral studies in 2024 and currently works as a university lecturer and adjunct professor at the same faculty, having earned his doctorate.

Alongside his academic activities, Botond is actively involved as the conductor and pianist of the Tamási Áron Theater in Transylvania. His solo career began at the age of 17 with the Sibiu State Philharmonic, which marked the beginning of his illustrious career. Since then, he has given numerous concerts with renowned Romanian symphonic orchestras, including in Brașov, Sibiu, Craiova, Arad, Satu Mare, Pitești, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Bacău, Galați, Brăila, and Sfântu Gheorghe, and he has collaborated with the Teleradio orchestra from Moldova. Szőcs Botond's piano development is also evidenced by his impressive solo recitals on national and international stages. During his tours, he has performed in the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Greece, Malta, Hungary, Montenegro, Moldova, China, Vietnam, Dubai, and Cuba, showcasing the versatility and artistic finesse that characterize his performances.

"The young artist, Szőcs Botond, plays the piano excellently... A second Richter... I don’t even know where to start: with how precisely he reproduces every musical phrase, with his full, rounded sound, or with his incredible versatility, which he demonstrated? [...]. But above all, I would highlight the extraordinary sensitivity and momentum that radiates from him," wrote critic Petra Gherasim in her review of his piano recital at the Romanian Athenaeum. And the praises for this young pianist don’t stop here.

Tóth-Györbiró Apor was born into a family of musicians, so there was no way for him to avoid a musical career. He began his musical education in childhood, playing his first instrument, the classical guitar, at kindergarten, and later followed with the recorder, which helped him learn the basics of the profession and showed him the direction of his career.

He started his professional education at the “Plugor Sándor” Art High School in Sfântu Gheorghe, followed by the “Gheorghe Dima” Music Academy in Cluj-Napoca. During these years, he gained a great deal of experience in various musical genres and collaborated with many musicians and producers from different parts of the world, including the United States, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Austria, Poland, and Lithuania.

He began his professional career while still in school as a member of the Strike Quartet, a string quartet from Sfântu Gheorghe made up of outstanding students from the “Plugor Sándor” Art High School. He participated in numerous events, such as the Blue Nights series organized by the Ecou Youth Association.

During these years, he consistently participated in and was awarded at the National Instrumental Performance Olympiads.

Following these experiences, he had the opportunity to collaborate with several national institutions, such as the Satu Mare State Philharmonic, the Romanian Opera in Cluj-Napoca, the Hungarian Opera in Cluj-Napoca, the Brașov State Philharmonic, and the Brașov Opera, in various events (concerts, opera performances, and tours).

Among his most recent experiences is the founding of the Lilium Quartet (Sfântu Gheorghe) alongside Gáspár Csaba, Ráduly Zsófia, and Fazakas Albert. They have participated in a wide range of events, including theater performances, private events (weddings, baptisms, etc.), book presentations, and classical music festivals. Additionally, he collaborates in multiple theater projects as a cellist and bassist (since 2016 and currently), as well as in several light music formations, such as the Tekergők kisegyüttes (2021) and Tiltott Illes (2023), and as a bass vocalist in the Sepsi Gospel project, which he has been part of since 2021.

Gáspár Csaba's entire life is defined by music, and this passion can be felt in every note of his violin.
He began his musical career in Sfântu Gheorghe as a student at the “Plugor Sándor” Art High School, where, in addition to learning the violin, he was also captivated by folk music and singing in the choir. He further developed his knowledge and talent at the “Transilvania” University in Brașov, where he first graduated in music pedagogy and later in violin.

Gáspár Csaba's versatility is best demonstrated by his ability to move comfortably through all genres, from classical music to jazz and even improvisation. He is a member of several musical formations, including the Lilium Quartet, which was formed in connection with the “Liliom” performance at the Tamási Áron Theater, and which performed at the 2023 SepsiClassic classical music festival. His improvisational talent truly shines in the Impro-Víziók 2.2 band, where he uniquely blends elements of classical, folk, and world music. Gáspár Csaba is also a core member of the Jazzpar Trio, which was created in the style of gypsy jazz and frequently performs with the famous jazz singer, Luiza Zan.

Gáspár Csaba's musical world is characterized by diversity and creativity. In every note, there is the passion with which he blends different musical styles, creating something new, something unique. He is an artist who is capable of crossing boundaries and creating a musical world where every note tells a story.

Kertész János was born on February 13, 1968, in Covasna. He graduated from the „Sigismund Toduță” Music School in Cluj-Napoca in 1986. He earned his degree in Percussion Performance from the „Gheorghe Dima” Music Academy in Cluj-Napoca, and in 2020, he obtained the first-degree teaching certification from the „Transilvania” University of Brașov.

Below are some important events from his 35-year performing career:

• Between 1990 and 2018, he taught percussion, piano, harmonica, synthesizer, orchestral music, and music arrangement at the Art and Craft School in Sfântu Gheorghe. Since 1994, he has been teaching percussion at the „Plugor Sándor” Art High School in Sfântu Gheorghe, where he also works as a piano accompanist, supplementary piano teacher, and chamber music instructor. He is a founding member of the „MoniAcustique” ensemble from Sfântu Gheorghe.

• Between 1988 and 2023, he played as a percussionist and pianist in various vocal-instrumental ensembles: Bumerang, St. George Jazz Quintet, Equinox, Funky-Munky, Foxband, Small Town Big Band, Lady and the Tramps, HarMony, FilharMony, Castelanii, Imperial Kronstadt Orchestra, Domino band, Waterlily's Trio, Koszika and the Hotshots, Session Band, Vox Humana, and others. In 1985, at the age of 17, he received the „Award for First Steps in Jazz” at the International Jazz Festival in Sibiu with the Junior Dixieland Jazz Band.

• He regularly collaborates with the „Andrei Mureșanu”, „Tamási Áron”, and „Vigadó” theaters, as well as the „Háromszék” Dance Ensemble as a performer and music arranger. He participates as a timpanist in concerts with the „Csíki” and „Georgius” chamber orchestras. He worked for 28 years as an entrepreneur in the field of „Artistic and Literary Creation and Performance.”

• Since 2017, he has been the managing director of „Event Power SRL”, a company specializing in organizing performing arts events. Since 2018, he has been the president of the „Artfactor” Association in Sfântu Gheorghe, whose main goal is to promote live music exclusively through instrumental performance, without playback, computer-generated, or automatic accompaniment tools.

• He participates annually as a performer and sound technician in the Sfântu Gheorghe Jazz and Improvised Music Camp. Between 1998 and 2002, he worked as a pianist on cruise ships in the United States. In 2020, he published a methodological book for percussion teaching entitled „Jazz Drum Studies”, which was registered at the National ISBN-ISMN-CIP Center.

• He participates annually in concerts organized during the „Sfântu Gheorghe Days” as a performer in various ensembles and bands.

Gellért Lőfi completed his studies at the Plugor Sándor High School of Arts in Sfântu Gheorghe and later at the Transylvania University of Brașov, specializing in Musical Arts and Choral Conducting Stylistics, where he is currently a doctoral student. 

In 2004, he received a special award at the Young Choral Conductors' Competition organized by the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in memory of Rezső Lantos, as well as a special prize from KÓTA. He is a choir conductor awarded with the Rezső Zsizsmann and István Nagy prizes.

He is currently a violin teacher at the Plugor Sándor High School of Arts in Sfântu Gheorghe, the conductor of the Campanella Children's Choir, the Serenade Chamber Orchestra, and the Laudate Chamber Choir of the Christ the King Church. He also plays viola in the SepsiArtQuartett, is a member of the Bachensemble Choir of the Black Church in Brașov, and of the Romanian Hungarian Music Society. 

“Diana Ichim is a very talented young pianist who studies in Professor Stela Drăgulin’s
class at the Transilvania University of Brașov. I invite you to watch her starting at
21:00 ET on all RCI accounts, RCI London, Embassy of Romania in Great Britain in a
splendid concert recorded at the opening of the Concert Season of University of
Brașov!” (Lucian Diaconu, RCI London)

Diana Ichim is a first-year PhD student at the Transilvania University of Brașov. For her
PhD studies and bachelor’s and master’s piano degrees, she has been under the guidance of
Professor Stela Drăgulin, PhD, a reputable name not only in the Romanian pianistic school, but
also worldwide. To this day, Diana has graduated from both programs with an overall average
of 10.
She held numerous piano recitals both in Romania and abroad, of which it is worth
mentioning her tours in Bulgaria, Greece, Mongolia, China, The United Arab Emirates and
Cuba. She had the honor of representing Romania at Expo 2020 Dubai, performing numerous
piano recitals, both at the Romanian Pavilion and Jubilee Park, one of the prestigious stages of
Expo 2020 Dubai. At this stage, Diana Ichim opened the Christmas Concert, organized by the
Vatican’s Holy See Pavilion.
Diana had the honor and joy of holding a recital of inaugurating the 2nd Steinway & Sons
piano being brought to the Transilvania University of Brasov.
She also performed concertos with orchestras, performing Grieg’s Piano concerto in a
minor, Chopin’s Piano concerto no. 2 in f minor, Andante Spianato and The Grande Polonaise
Brilliante, op. 22, and Schumann’s Piano concerto in a minor, op. 54.
Diana is the pianist for the Chamber Orchestra of Transilvania University of Brasov.
Diana performed in the opening of the Concert Season 2020-2021 of Transilvania
University of Brașov with an online recital streamed by the Musical Centre of Transilvania
University of Brașov, which was further taken over by the Romanian Cultural Institute in
London.

Her second instrument is the harpsichord. Diana started her harpsichord studies in 2020 at
the Faculty of Music of the University Transilvania of Brașov. In her four years of bachelor's
degree, she has been under the guidance of harpsichordist Raluca Enea and the well-known
organist of the Black Church and harpsichord professor, Associate Professor Steffen Markus
Schlandt, PhD.
During her harpsichord studies, Diana had numerous harpsichord recitals and chamber
music performances. She had also performed with singers and accompanied instruments such
as the violin and flute.
Diana is convinced that the two instruments will help her build a dual career in the music
world.
Opinions regarding Diana Ichim:
“...The emotions were overwhelming, both from the supporting musicians and from the
main performer. We witnessed and enjoyed it together with her fantastic piano recital, which
we will surely remember for a long time. The interpretation of the personal notes of Schumann,
Chopin, and Bach made us see the world around us through Diana’s eyes and made us lead our
steps towards the discovery of her universe." (Alexandra Gîrbea, Transilvania University
Newsletter, June 2018).
“...Diana learned both the importance of an emotional, sensible interpretation and also that
of the energy and virtuosity present in the works she approached."[...] The recital was a real
success, with Diana Ichim giving evidence of professionalism and of an extraordinary musical
talent, and so the recital ascended on the same level as the event marking the inauguration of
the 2nd Steinway & Sons piano at Transilvania University of Brașov.” (Diana Cristea,
Transilvania University, Newsletter, January 2020).

He was born in 2002, in Sfântu Gheorghe, Covasna County.

He started learning to play the cello at the age of 7. He completed his entire school education at the “Plugor Sándor” Art High School in Sfântu Gheorghe, majoring in cello. He learned to play the cello under the guidance of the late Benkő Enikő, Csípő Krisztina, Lázár Zsombor, Tóth-Györbiró Apor, and Gábor Szende. He is currently a university student at the Faculty of Music of the “Transilvania” University of Brașov, continuing his studies under the guidance of Dr. Ștefan Neagoe, the cellist of the “Gaudeamus” String Quartet.

Since the fourth grade, he has been a regular participant and award winner at local, regional, and national instrument olympiads. As a cellist, he has participated in several events organized by the “Laudate” Chamber Choir of the “Christ the King” Parish of Sfântu Gheorghe, in Romania and Hungary. He has performed with the “Sepsi Art Quartet” string quartet and the “Gyűszűvirág” Early Music Ensemble, and his cello playing has been heard at various religious events, exhibitions, and book launches. As a dedicated musician, he has won first place in several national music theory competitions and was a member of the nationally first-place winning “Campanella” Children’s Choir. He was also part of the “Eufónia” Chamber Choir and took part in two orchestral projects in Budapest organized within the “Határtalanul Program”, to strengthen Hungarian-Hungarian relations.

Since 2016, he has participated every year in the concerts of the Miercurea Ciuc Early Music Festival and in numerous masterclasses at the Summer University of Early Music. He is a founding member of the “4cord Quartet” string quartet from Sfântu Gheorghe, and as a member of this well-regarded ensemble in the city, he has performed in numerous private and public events, including those organized by the Sfântu Gheorghe City Hall, such as the “St. George Days,” “Car-Free Day,” “World Senior Citizens Day,” and the “Sepsi Classic” festival concerts. In 2022, he participated in masterclasses with cellists Onczay Zoltán and Alfia Nakipbekova. In the same year, he had the opportunity to perform in Havana, the capital of Cuba, during a tour organized by the “Transilvania” University of Brașov, the Romanian Embassy in Cuba, and the University of Medicine in Havana. Starting in 2023, he has had several opportunities to perform with the Brașov Opera Orchestra and participated in the grand opening concert of the “St. George Days” in 2024. That same year, together with a few university colleagues, he won the Grand Prize at the “Elite Musicians” International Chamber Music Competition.